Paul O'Mahony (Cork)

Member of Toastmasters International - past Business storyteller - copywriter - Podcaster - Poet - Gin-taster - Dog-walker - Golfer

[Paul O'Mahony (Cork) @Omaniblog]

#NaPodPoMo is anyone other than Jennifer and myself using Twitter? Or even using X

[Paul O'Mahony (Cork) @Omaniblog]

@epodcaster I’ve always wanted to be a truck driver. Unfortunately, I haven’t yet got a license to go trucking. #napodpomo

[Paul O'Mahony (Cork) @Omaniblog]

@epodcaster Transmigrate to Ireland #NaPodPoMo

[Paul O'Mahony (Cork) @Omaniblog]

@ClaireWadds I’ve sent you a tweet by mistake. I have a friend who has the same name as yourself, but I forgotten her Twitter handle.

[Paul O'Mahony (Cork) @Omaniblog]

Claire Waddington @ClaireWadds Are you still in Paris?

[Paul O'Mahony (Cork) @Omaniblog]

@pinkscuderia Not only did I not know that, but you’ve added to my store of information about both men. I’m a huge fan of Walt Whitman. And I am about three-quarter ways through live streaming the whole of “leaves of grass.” most of my life streaming was done on Periscope.

[Paul O'Mahony (Cork) @Omaniblog]

Listening to ⁦@sm2n⁩ - the most experienced podcaster who’s stayed in my home in Cork Ireland #napodpomoMPC https://t.co/aEMRAmgEA7

[Paul O'Mahony (Cork) @Omaniblog]

@pinkscuderia I did not know that thanks

[Paul O'Mahony (Cork) @Omaniblog]

@lifeofbrian77 Such a great thought

[Paul O'Mahony (Cork) @Omaniblog]

@clairewad What a beautiful photo

[Paul O'Mahony (Cork) @Omaniblog]

@meeplesandwine 😂👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[Paul O'Mahony (Cork) @Omaniblog]

I’m looking for prompts Nos 6&7

[Paul O'Mahony (Cork) @Omaniblog]

My podcasting mentor for all this month - I feel we’ve contracted - my guide & my learning #napodpomoMPC

[🟣 Jennifer Navarrete @epodcaster]

#NaPodPoMoMPC Day 4 Prompt:

A simple RECORDING ENVIRONMENT HACK

In the "Location, Location, Location: A Simple Audio Environment Test" prompt from day two,  we recorded audio in two rooms, one with hard surfaces and one with soft surfaces. That exercise taught us that soft surfaces offer a sound buffering effect which produces a better audio experience.

But what if you cannot control the environment where the recording is going to take place? Like perhaps in a hotel room while you're traveling or in an office environment where hard surfaces abound.

Hotel Room Audio Hack

Luckily your hotel room has carpet, bedding, curtains, and a desk for your recording session. So we are off to a great start. However, there are some things you can do to improve your audio quality even further.

For this hack you'll need 3 things:
Towel
Two pillows
Bedding

Step 1: Lay out the towel flat on the desk.
Step 2: Put your device phone/laptop on the towel.
Step 3: Form a "V" shape with the two pillows on either side of your device.
Step 4: Grab the bedding and put it on top of you so that you are in a quiet cocoon.

This configuration is the ultimate in soft surface heaven. However, this wonderful audio buffer does come at a cost, you will get heated rather quickly. So, either plan for a short recording session or know that you will want to give yourself cool air breathing breaks in between recording segments of your podcast

The fun part? All those years of childhood pillow and blanket fort fun now has real value for your podcast.

Office Audio Hack

Unfortunately, most office environments are nothing but hard surfaces. So what's a podcaster who cares about the listener audio experience to do?

If you have a couch somewhere in the office that has pillows, borrow them. If you have a sweater, hoodie, jacket, lap blanket, then there is hope!

Much of what we did in the hotel room hack is also something we can do in the office. Take a hoodie/sweater and put that on your desk. This is a hard surface we can soften and so we shall. Take the office couch pillows and put those in a "V" formation around your device. Finally, throw the jacket or lap blanket over your head and record away!

Adjust accordingly

These hacks are heavily focused on the audio experience. But what if you have a video podcast? You can do the exact same thing MINUS the bedding/blanket over your head.

You may be wondering if going through this effort is worth it. Will you sound like you are in a recording studio? Nope. However, by introducing soft surfaces to a place rife with hard surfaces, you will improve the audio experience overall.

TAKE ACTION

It's time to put this into action. Grab some pillows, a blanket, and a towel. Now build your podcast pillow and blanket fort!

Record audio in the room before the pillow and blanket fort is built. This is your baseline recording.

Once the fort is built, record a second time.
Listen back to compare the two audio experiences.

Make note of the difference. Also make note if the difference is not noticeable enough to get heated up underneath the blank. Sometimes, it's just not. Knowing the difference and making the decisions based on that knowledge is key.
Be sure to share your audio hack experience in the NaPodPoMo community of choice (FB,  X, or Hive)
Next Time: Which Show Style is Right for You?

If you know someone who should absolutely be part of the NaPodPoMo Mobile Podcast Challenge, invite them to join us.

[Paul O'Mahony (Cork) @Omaniblog]

Is “A POET’S LIFE” an attractive name for a podcast? Attract you? Might it attract one who’s starting to read or write poems? Tis neither autobiography nor history. It’s about a poet trying to write 30 poems in a month. Interested?

https://t.co/FCdtN5SC1E

[Paul O'Mahony (Cork) @Omaniblog]

A POET’S LIFE volume 4 #napodpomoMPC https://t.co/Gi7izMRyYR

[Paul O'Mahony (Cork) @Omaniblog]

@epodcaster Finally I’ve decided the name of my podcast series - it’s “A POET’S LIFE” - thank you for compelling me to delve deep #napodpomoMPC

[Paul O'Mahony (Cork) @Omaniblog]

Listening to ⁦@sm2n⁩ - the most experienced podcaster who’s stayed in my home in Cork Ireland #napodpomoMPC https://t.co/aEMRAmgEA7

[Paul O'Mahony (Cork) @Omaniblog]

@epodcaster Thanks very much, Jennifer #napodmopoMPC

[Paul O'Mahony (Cork) @Omaniblog]

Haiku No 2 - my contribution to the #NaPodPoMoMPC podcasting in April challenge launched & led by Jennifer Navarrete https://t.co/bo5cWxq7d4

[Paul O'Mahony (Cork) @Omaniblog]

@epodcaster I’m looking forward to Prompt No 2 on 2nd April. Need to get my head round what’s required to apply the prompt. The boundaries suggested by prompts will fuel my inventiveness